Kessaci warns of an attack on democracy after threats targeting the mayor of Alès

Alès – 22 July 2026: Marseille anti-drug activist and local elected official Amine Kessaci described the threats against the mayor of Alès, Christophe Rivenq, as an attack on the democratic order. Criminal groups apparently no longer hesitate to directly target elected representatives, Kessaci said. The case has reignited the debate in France over protecting local elected officials from violence linked to drug trafficking.

Christophe Rivenq, mayor of Alès in the Gard department, was the target of serious intimidation on 16 July. Threatening graffiti was discovered at his home; according to press reports, his wife also found an envelope containing two cartridges in the mailbox. The perpetrators or senders claimed to be from the alleged DZ Mafia. The accuracy of this attribution is the subject of the investigation and has not yet been definitively confirmed.

During the night of 20 to 21 July, Rivenq was evacuated from his home by RAID officers on the order of the Interior Ministry, according to consistent reports from several media outlets. This measure underscores the seriousness with which security authorities assess the situation. For the mayor and his family, the threats were an immediate ordeal because they explicitly targeted the local official’s private surroundings.

Rivenq draws a connection between this intimidation and his actions against drug trafficking in Alès. The city has long been fighting the expansion of organized criminal structures. Investigators are therefore examining whether the threats were a reaction to municipal and state measures against drug dealing locations and trafficking networks. Criminal investigations are ongoing.

Amine Kessaci is known for his commitment against drug-related crime in Marseille and is now part of the municipal administration. His brother Mehdi Kessaci was killed in Marseille in November 2025. The investigation into this crime is still ongoing. Kessaci stressed that attacks and intimidation targeting public figures should not be treated as isolated cases when criminal groups seek to exert political or social pressure in this way.

The Alès case draws attention to the particular vulnerability of local elected officials who oppose organized crime. The presumption of innocence also remains in force: the mention of the DZ Mafia in the threats does not prove this group’s involvement. The results of the ongoing investigation will be decisive. French security authorities are under pressure to ensure the protection of those concerned and swiftly clarify the circumstances of the incident.